


look before you leap

by Anonymous



Category: Arslan Senki | Heroic Legend of Arslan
Genre: Gen, Post-Canon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-28
Updated: 2017-12-28
Packaged: 2019-02-22 21:25:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,247
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13175523
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/





	look before you leap

Despair was not an emotion that Gieve was quite familiar with. He pondered this as he watched them lower Arslan’s body into the ground. As he had requested, beside Daryun, who was beside Narsus. 

The few remaining close companions of His Majesty had been allowed a first row view of the funeral. Elam and Farangis stood on either side of him, their expressions unreadable. Gieve looked towards the sky instead, hoping for a distraction of any kind. It was starting to rain. As if the earth was weeping for its loss, he thought. 

Not long after that did Gieve realize he was crying. He couldn’t recall the last time he’d cried, let alone in front of other people. At least, he wasn’t the only one. Sobs could be heard throughout the crowd. Elam and Farangis, however, had remained stone faced through the whole service. 

Elam looked over in surprise when he’d heard what sounded like a whimper come from the man next to him. Sure enough, there were tears streaming down his face. When Gieve noticed that Elam had been staring, he quickly pressed a hand over his eyes and turned his head down. 

Elam looked past Gieve, to Farangis, who was observing Gieve with her usual cold eye. After a second, her gaze softened, yet she still seemed conflicted. Elam met eyes with her and then looked back to Gieve, still unsettled. Thankfully, she spoke first. 

“Gieve,” she called his attention to her. His head shot up, and he looked at her curiously. 

Farangis hesitated under his gaze, now unsure of herself. She looked around, and seemed to remember just where they were. After a deep breath, she steeled herself and to Elam’s surprise, pulled Gieve into a hug. She was going to need a drink after this. Or several.

Just as surprised as Elam, Gieve’s body froze. This was so unlike Farangis that he considered for a moment that he might be dreaming. Or having a nightmare. After a few moments, though, his will gave way and he buried his face into her shoulder and sobbed. 

After a few moments of watching as Farangis awkwardly patted Gieve’s back, Elam looked away. The shock of Arslan’s death hadn’t yet sunk in for him, and he was hoping to be far away by the time it happened. 

~

The three of them dined together that night, if you could call it that. They sat around their third decanter of wine, near a window. 

Elam was first to break the awkward silence that had settled over them once more. 

“So… what do you plan to do now?” He wasn’t entirely sure who he was asking. 

“I will return to my temple,” Farangis said. “Now that my service here is done.”

Elam nodded. That made sense. He looked towards Gieve, who didn’t seem to have heard his question, and was instead staring intently into his cup. 

“Gieve?” he tried again. The man looked up.

“Sorry?”

“What do you plan to do now?” Elam repeated. 

Gieve swirled the remaining drink left in his cup before answering. “I hadn’t even begun to think about it, honestly.”

Elam nodded to that as well. It was understandable. The past few days had been as hectic as they could possibly be. 

“Well,” Elam continued, setting his cup down with finality. “I am going to Serica.”

“Serica?” Gieve asked, now looking at least a bit more interested in the conversation. “Have you been before?”

“No,” Elam said. “I’ve always wanted to go. And I made a promise to him,” He looked down now. “That I would go, and tell him of it when I returned.” 

Farangis smiled at that and poured herself another drink. 

“Ah,” said Gieve, who Elam knew would have made fun of such a childish ambition in any other circumstance. “I’ve been once. It’s a sight to see.”

“You two are welcome to come, if you wish.” Elam picked up his cup once more. “I understand if you won’t, I just thought that I would extend the offer. It’ll be weird without you two around.” 

He looked to Gieve for an answer first, who looked to Farangis. Of course, Elam thought, Gieve would only go if she was going. 

“I think I’d like that, actually,” she said. “The temple can do without me for a while longer.”

Elam smiled, grateful to have another presence on board with his trip. “I assume your Sisters won’t miss you?” he asked, remembering her mentioning how she was despised amongst them. 

“Surely not,” she said, offering no further comments on the subject. “When will you leave?”

“Within the next few days, if all goes well.”

She nodded, and the attention was shifted back to Gieve, who leaned back in his seat and put his hands up behind his head. “Thanks for the offer, but I think I’ll sit this one out.”

“Are you sure?” Elam asked, surprised at himself for hoping that Gieve would say yes. “I thought you loved to travel.”

“I do, normally” Gieve said. “But… I can’t right now. I think I’m going to lay low for a while and just see how things play out here.”

“Suit yourself, then,” Elam said, taking a sip from his drink and shifting his gaze back to the window. “I’m sure all the beautiful women will miss you.”

Gieve chuckled at that, a sound that Elam was glad to get out of him, at last. “Indeed, they will. But the only one that matters to me is right here,” he gestured to Farangis who rolled her eyes. “I’d tell you to keep her safe, but it’ll likely be the other way around, pipsqueak.”

It was Elam’s turn to roll his eyes. He never quite understood what Arslan liked so much about the guy, but perhaps it was just in Arslan’s nature to cherish everybody. 

“True enough,” Elam said. “Perhaps I can finally get her to teach me her archery secrets.”

Eyes closed now, Farangis lazily raised her cup in what Elam assumed was an affirmative. 

~

The morning they were to set off, Elam was nervous. With Narsus’s maps and and camping gear in his pack, he recalled his late master complaining about how he’d never gotten the opportunity to go to Serica himself. Elam smiled as he mounted his horse and waited for Farangis. Now he had double the motivation to get going as soon as possible.

Soon enough, Farangis rode up on her own mount and slowed to a stop next to him.

“All ready to go?” he asked. 

She nodded and they both began to make their way towards the city gates. 

However, they paused upon hearing a familiar voice shouting from behind them. 

“Wait, wait! Lady Farangis!” 

The pair smiled fondly as they slowed their horses and turned towards the newcomer, racing towards them on his own horse. When he finally made it near them, he was out of breath from shouting. 

“I changed my mind!” he said. “I got around to thinking about it, and I don’t really want to stick around for whatever’s going to go down here pretty soon.”

Elam looked to Farangis who shrugged. 

“Well, come on then.” Elam said, grinning. “You’re later than I thought you’d be.”

Gieve dismissed him with a wave and the three urged their horses towards the city gate once more. None of them were sure of what they would do in Serica, nor when they would return, but none of that mattered just yet.


End file.
